A meditation for International Day of Peace

The 21 of September has been designated by the United Nations as an International Day of Peace.

You may feel like you have very little power or control over world events and decisions made by politicians. In truth, we do have a lot more influence on the state of the world than we think. We create our realities and our thoughts and spiritual wellbeing have a huge impact on external events, particularly when a large number of us focus on the same outcome.

Let’s take this opportunity tomorrow (well, it doesn’t have to be just tomorrow!) to meditate on peace – peace within us and peace all around us. Below is one of my favourite meditations. The text was adapted from the Institute of Sathya Sai Education by my aunt Vassiliki Stephanides. With pure intent, this meditation is a very powerful tool for shaping and recreating our inner and outer worlds.

I suggest you first read through the meditation a couple of times to memorise it and then sit comfortably to carry it out. You can use a candle to help you visualise the light or imagine one in front of you. As the meditation ends, ensure you visualize the light returning to you in order to ground yourself.

Namaste,

Sandrine

LIGHT MEDITATION

From ISSE, Europe (Institute of Sathya Sai Education)

Adapted by Vassiliki Stephanides

Sit comfortably on a chair, or cross-legged on the floor, with your back straight, the spine aligned with your neck and head. Rest your hands on your knees, palms facing up. Take a few deep breaths and relax.

Look silently for a few moments at the flame of the candle in front of you.

Slowly close your eyes and visualize the light coming right inside your head. Think as follows:

The light comes into your eyes. “My eyes are full of light and focus on what’s good around me.”

The light comes into your ears. “My ears focus on the positive sounds around me”.

The light comes into your mouth. “My mouth is full of light and always speaks good words, full of love and truth; I eat food that is fresh, pure and good.”

The light goes down to your heart. “My heart is full of Love. The light spreads from my heart and unites with the light in the hearts of all those that I know, those that have done good to me, and those that perhaps have not done good to me. They all have the same light in their heart.”

Now the light goes to your hands. “My hands always do good deeds and serve others with love.”

The light now goes to your legs. “My feet always take me to good people and places; they take me to my goal, which is to know the Truth and experience Love.”

The light now goes to every cell of your body. It fills you with Love and good health. Now it spreads outside your body and surrounds you in a big ball of Light. “I am in the Light.”

The ball of Light expands and fills the room with Light. It expands further, goes out of this room and spreads in the whole town, enters the houses and the hearts of your relatives, friends and acquaintances.

The Light continues to spread and covers your whole country. “My country is in the Light. My country is in Light and Peace.” The Light spreads more and covers other countries and all other continents. The entire planet is now in the Light. Earth is in Light and Peace. The Light spreads further in our solar system, our Galaxy, in the whole universe, until we all unite with the Supreme Being.

We are all in the Light. We are all One. The Light and me are One. I am the Light.”

(Stay at this level for some time).

Then:

The Light recedes into a small ball and returns back to your heart. “I see its brightness, I feel its warmth in my heart, and I keep it there for the rest of the day.”